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Asthma Friendly Gardens

Asthma  Friendly  Gardensyour own area. If you can find natives that
have low allergy rankings, consider using
Tom  Ogrenthem. Look around your own neighborhood, and
see for yourself, which kinds of plants seem
Recent studies have shown that babies born toto be flourishing there already. For almost
mothers who were exposed to high levels ofevery kind of plant used in landscaping,
pollen in their last trimester of pregnancythere is now a no or low pollen version of
have a much greater chance of developingit,  if  you  know  what  to  look  for.
asthma. One of the main keys with asthma
prevention  is  avoidance.7.Use a wide variety of plant materials;
diversity is good. Biodiversity always makes
When you have asthma the typical garden issense. The more diverse our gardens are the
not a very friendly place at all. There arefewer problems we'll have with insects and
mold spores to contend with and worst of allmolds.
is the pollen. Typical gardens have pollen
producing male trees and male shrubs and8.Avoid plants with strong fragrances or
other plants that can provoke asthma attacks.odors, as they can cause asthma. Don't plant
Almost anyone with asthma will tell you thatjasmines or similar vines next to entrances
their asthma can be triggered by a goodor exits and certainly don't use them
number of things, but pollen is often numberunderneath  bedroom  windows.
one for causing an attack. Garden allergies
are common, but they need not be. Allergies9.For mulch, use rock or gravel instead of
from gardening could be largely a thing ofbark to cut down on toxic mold spores in the
the past... if we're willing to make somegarden. Flat stones or pavers also make good,
simple  changes.mold  free  mulching  materials.
In fall of 1999 in Richmond, Virginia the10.To further eliminate mold spores,
American Lung Association of Virginia (ALAV)encourage wild birds in your garden.
built a new Breathe EasyÔ office andVirtually all wild birds eat insects, and
headquarters. They had this entire largeinsect damage triggers outbreaks of mold.
building constructed with the latestEven the tiny hummingbirds actually eat a
innovations in green construction andlarge number of insects. Put up a hummingbird
sustainable design. No construction materialsfeeder!
were used that would off gas any harmful or
toxic chemicals, no materials were used that11.Keep your plants healthy. This too will
would trigger asthma or allergies. Everycut down on both pollen and mold. When it is
attempt was made to build something thathot and windy, do some irrigating. Fertilize
would be pleasant and healthy to work in. Theeverything in the garden spring and fall. If
people who work in this office now will tellplants are crowding each other too much, thin
you too, that they all notice what a greatthem out. If tree branches overhead are
improvement it is. Their office is a healthyputting your whole yard in deep shade,
building.consider having the tree thinned to let in
more light. Fresh air and light are the
The ALA decided it would make perfect senseenemies  of  molds.
to landscape their new healthy building (in
some states these are now called Health12.If a tree, shrub, vine or any other plant
Houses) with an allergy free landscape.always looks sickly, looks dirty, or always
OPALSÔ (the plant/allergy 1-10 numericalattracts bugs, then shovel prune it. Dig it
ranking system) was used to select only thoseup and get rid of it. Replace it with
plant materials that were either very lowsomething easier to grow. Don't get caught up
pollen, low allergy, or that were totallyin having to spray insecticides all the time,
pollen free, allergy free. In effect theyas they too can easily cause asthma and
created the first true asthma friendly gardenallergies.
in  the  US.
Make your garden a fun, stress free zone. Be
Health Houses in other states are now alsosure to have a few comfortable garden chairs
adding pollen free landscapes to their greento sit in, and a little table of some sort is
construction, green buildings. A new Healthalways good too. Wind chimes, bird feeders,
House is about to be built in Pennsylvania,and birdbaths can add greatly to your
and the PA Association of Landscapers andenjoyment and cost little. A beautiful,
Nurserymen are helping to surround it with anpollen free, allergy free, asthma friendly
asthma  friendly  landscape.garden can be just the place for healthy
children, and a great place for anyone to
Schools too are getting into the clean airrelax and enjoy the great outdoors. For more
act, and in the city of Visalia, California,advice on low allergen gardening, look up
the Tulare County Asthma Coalition recentlyallergy free gardening on the Internet, or go
directed the asthma friendly landscaping of ato your local library and read some books on
newly  built  elementary  school.this  new  important  subject.
Twelve keys to building your own asthmaTom Ogren is the author of five published
friendly  garden:books, including: Allergy-free Gardening,
Safe Sex in the Garden (Ten Speed Press), and
1.Plant lots of female trees and femaleWhat the Experts May NOT Tell You About:
shrubs. Not only will these not shed anyGrowing the Perfect Lawn (AOL Time Warner
pollen, they will also trap a good deal ofBooks). Tom has an MS degree in
pollen that may stay in from somewhere else.Agriculture-Horticulture, taught landscape
Think of these female plants as nature's airgardening for twenty years, owned and
cleaners.operated two wholesale-retail nurseries, and
in northern Minnesota was host of the popular
2.Use only low pollen or no pollen lawns.Public Radio call-in gardening show, "Tom
There are types of lawns now that are prettyOgren's  Wild  World  of  Plants!"
well pollen free and these are a big
improvement over some of the older lawnTom (Thomas Leo Ogren) has published hundreds
varieties. In southern states, if you have aof articles on health and gardening. His work
common Bermuda grass lawn, consider replacinghas appeared in diverse publications such as
it with a newer, more asthma friendly hybridSouth Africa's Veldt and Field, in Women's
Bermuda grass. 'Princess 77' is a new BermudaDay, Alternative Medicine, the Burpee Seed
grass hybrid that can be planted from seed.Catalog, Sunset Magazine, Landscape
It is next to pollen free, grows very low andArchitecture, Der Spiegel, The London Times,
tight,  and  is  especially  good  looking.The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, and
even the Jerusalem Post. He has also made
3.With OPALSÔ 1 is best, 10 is worst. Usenumerous appearances on HGTV and his work was
only plants with rankings of 1-5. The morethe focus of two made for TV documentaries,
plants in your gardens that have rankingsone  by  the  Canadian  Discovery  Channel.
ranging from 1-3, the friendlier your place
will  be for anyone with allergies or asthma.Tom has been interviewed on National Public
Radio's Weekend Edition and his
4.Remove any trees or shrubs with rankingsgroundbreaking research was featured on The
over OPALSÔ #7. The woody landscapeCBS Evening News. He is a frequent lecturer
plants with rankings of 8-10 are allfor garden clubs, arboretums, civic groups,
sure-fire allergy triggering plants and youhospitals, medical groups, Master Gardeners,
can  live  without  them.and professional associations of landscapers,
landscape designers, writers, nursery people,
5.Replace any removed high pollen, asthmaarborists, and urban foresters. He has become
triggering plants with their opposite, femalewell known for his fun, high energy, highly
trees or female shrubs. Also good asinformative, unusual and provocative talks.
replacements are perfect flowered plants thatTom is a member of the Professional Landscape
are known to be very low pollen producers.Designers Association, and the GWA, the
These will all have good (low) OPALSÔGarden Writers of America. Unlike many
rankings.well-published authors, he still tries to
answer all of his own email.
6.Use only plants that are well adapted to



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